ABOUT ME
Born in Madrid (Spain), living in Caracas (Venezuela) I believe in freedom, although I'm not sure how to exercise it. I don't believe in purity, as Nicolas Guillen said. I like the visual adventure, but above the existential. I think the facts are in the eyes of those who see them, so I chose photography to share what my eyes see, or what they imagine they can see, but mostly to share what I'd like to change.
Nací en Madrid (España) vivo en Caracas (Venezuela). Creo en la libertad, aunque no estoy segura de saber como ejercerla. No creo en la pureza, como decía Nicolás Guillén. Me gusta la aventura visual, pero sobre todo la existencial. Creo que los hechos están en los ojos de quienes los ven, por eso elegí la fotografía, para compartir lo que mis ojos ven, o lo que imagino que pueden ver, pero sobre todo para compartir lo que me gustaría cambiar.
Educatión:
2007. Phd Cum Laude in American History from the University of Seville. Spain
1989. Graduated in History from the Central University of Venezuela. Caracas.
2008-2010. Photography studies with teachers Aaron Sosa, Ramón Grandal and Hernán Villar. Caracas.
Work experience (period 1998-2022):
2015-2022. Digital artist, analog collagist and freelance photographer.
2017-2023. Photography and cataloging of public and private art collections. ArteClick (own company), Caracas.
2017-2019. Photoshop instructor for photographers. National Photography Center Foundation (CENAF). Caracas.
2009-2016 (retired). Head of the Research Department and exhibition curator. National Art Gallery of Venezuela (Galería de Arte Nacional). Caracas
2009. Museological Processes Director Arturo Michelena Museum. Caracas.
2008-2009. Executive Director National Photography Center Foundation (Fundación Centro Nacional de la Fotografía, CENAF). Caracas.
1998-2006. Executive Director John Boulton Foundation (Museum, archive and library). Caracas.
Recognitions received in digital art, exhibitions and events on the Web 3:
2021. Playboy's first-ever grant-exhibit with Sevens Foundation. Exhibition of The Art of Gender and Sexuality. Art BaselMiami. Winner of the NFT's Grant, sponsored by @Playboy, @PlayboyNFTS and @SevensGrant. Artwork: Happiness is Immoral https://grants.art/playboy/5
2021. Waning Moon (Luna Menguante) Virtual Expo. A show of sisterhood and support for the human rights of Afghan women. MUA International and Ecoassociate. @escuelafotoarte. Santiago de Chile. Work: May our voices not go out or our faces disappear! https://peopleartfactory.com/g/KXNtQez35ejyXVgmMQMn-copy-1d519913
2022. (04/15) Leonardo Da Vinci Tribute Award: The Footprint of Leonardo Da Vinci (La huella de Leonardo Da Vinci), World Art Day. Venezuelan Association of Plastic Artists (AVAP) and the Costa Rican Association of Visual Artists (ACAV) Work: Botanical Da Vinci (on behalf of Venezuela) http://www.lahuelladeleonardodavinci.com
2022. Artcrypted.art. Selected artist to be part of: First curated digital art 1:1 NFT market place. Work: Quarantine in the house of the sword swallowers
2022. SXSW Music Festival (NFT Gallery, Ristband) @ristbandinc @sxsw @miro_shot. Guest artist.
2022-2023. (11/2022-01/2023) First Cryptoart Meeting. Museo Carmelo Fernández (Venezuela) in alliance with SpaceArte (United States). Work: The table of the 7 deadly sins
2022-2023. (12/2022-01/2023) ArtEast Gallery. Winter Exhibition Works: Sanatorium Venena. A very scary winter tale. Winter Dream. https://t.co/bM3qt6P1ri
2022. (4-7/11) Calaverse. Death in the metaverse. Artcrypted.art/Calaverse /Cryptosculpture Mexico. Work: The smell of the flower forgets the flower. https://t.me/+DN3hU9I01PwzZjcx
2022. (29-30/10) Artist Valley. Harlem Festival. Santa Fe Capital. Argentina. Works: In heaven. Venena Sanatorium. http://www.harlem.com.ar
2022. (10/15) Artist Valley. NFTBA22-EspacioBitcoin event. Buenos Aires. Argentina. Work: The race in the uroboro. https://www.espacioculturalbitcoin.com/
2022. (19-26/09) Womenverse Museum 1st Anniversary. Work (acquisition): May our voices not fade or our faces disappear!
2022. (08-09) ArtEast Gallery. Water Exhibition. Works: Chicken seller in Isla de aves. Pearl divers. Voyage of Magellan and Elcano. https://discover.artplacer.com/exhibitions/5262
2022. (05/14) World College Day @CollageBuddie. Work: Vacation after the pandemic https://t.co/pkJdVQFkvI
2022. (April) VI Experience Edition 18. Free, Independent and Self-Managed Cultural Artistic Collective (in person). (Olavarria-Argentina). Works: In the kitchen. Victorian cottage. Vacation after the pandemic
2022. (March) NFT Latina Woman. Collaborative Exposition. Women's month. @oncyber. Virtual gallery organized by the NFT Mujeres Hispanohablantes community with works of art by Latin American women who express their vision of what it is to be a woman. Works: Victorian cottage. Voyage of Magellan and Elcano. https://oncyber.io/spaces/a6Qhv61rykdON3fQ2OqL
2022. @GeaGaleríasNFT.
GeaGalerías Mujeres. Work: Little house with angel https://oncyber.io/geagaleriasnft_mujeres
GeaGalerías Eco. Work: Botanical Da Vinci https://www.spatia l.io/s/atGeaGaleriasNFT-Eco-62f7f12a7e22f400016f9a76?share=8211245777360530902&s=09
GeaGalerías Challenge Gay Pride 2022. Work: In Heaven https://t.co/pkJdVQFkvI
2022. The Synergy Exhibition. Abstract Art & Figurative Art Latin-Hispanic Community 80 artists / 80 artworks. Work: Saving the monkey. https://cryptovoxels.com/events/2789
2022. @Peace4UkraineP works in collaboration. @Ukraine_DAO MetaEstates_GALLERY featuring 100+ artist NFTs to support humanitarian efforts in UKRAINE. Work: Peace
Recognitions received (Photography):
2010. 1st Prize in the photographic contest of "La Escondida": "Peace shines" (Brilla la paz). Jury: Nelson Garrido, Arlette Montilla and Alberto Hernández. Work: Protected by the ancestors, Caracas.
2014. Dycvensa Citizen Award. XII Dycvensa Visual Arts Salon. (CELARG) Work: Little Venice in Caracas. Caracas.
2019. 2nd place. Unpublished Architecture from Caracas (Arquitectura inédita caraqueña) Contest Caracas. Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. UCV. Work: Stairs of the Old National Library of Venezuela.
2013. Walter Benjamin Foundation. Photographic Contest: Latin American childhoods, games, cultures, affections. Selected work: Ephemeral Joy 1. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2013. Juan Lovera Hall (Salón de Arte Juan Lovera), XLII Municipal Award for Visual Arts. Selected work: Chicken seller on Isla de Aves, Caracas.
2011. Walter Benjamin Foundation. Photographic contest: Childhood: various worlds. About inequality in childhood. Children of Latin America. A status chart. Selected work: Premature pregnancy. Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2011. (06/17 and 04/14) Photography and graphic humor contest of the Non-sexist and anti-discriminatory Education Campaign. Latin American and Caribbean Committee for the Defense of Women's Rights (CLADEM). Work: Shopping in Caracas, Tucumán and Buenos Aires, Argentina.
2011. III International Photography Contest of UN Women Andean Region: Men and women living in harmony. Work: A page from the family album, Quito, Ecuador.
2010. Collective exhibition Young women and new struggles, UNIFEM (Andean Region) Quito. Headquarters of the French Alliance of Quito. (Traveling exhibition through several Latin American countries). Selected work: Militant indigenous woman. Quito, Ecuador.
2010. Collective exhibition From woman to woman (De mujer a mujer), New Circus (Nuevo Circo). 3 works: Scissors. Lost identity. No title. Caracas.
Publications:
2022. Salvoconducto Editorial Project. Latin American Art Space in Transit (Espacio en Tránsito), Chile. Published work: Quarantine in the house of the sword swallowers, p. 33. https://indd.adobe.com/view/ffc72fff-727a-4c04-99a6-8161ccb96dbd
2016. Photographs of the covers of the collection: Las formas del fuego, Award of the contest for unpublished authors, Narrative and Poetry mentions 2014, Monte Ávila Editores Latinoamericana C.A. Caracas, 2016. Books from the collection: Eritza Liendo, Shadow and other dark tales (Sombras y otros cuentos oscuros). Fernando Vanegas, Tropical guetto. Carlos Zarzalejo, Subversive (after all) (Subversivo después de todo)
Conferences, talks and seminars given:
2022. (07/12) Technology, art and community (Tecnología, arte y comundad) event. BOD Cultural Center. Caracas.
2022. (10/24-28) Lecture: NFTs in art (Los NFTs en el arte). X Conference on Aesthetics. Decisions and aesthetic solutions. Coordination of the Research Nucleus for the Arts and Technical Drawing Libertador Experimental Pedagogical University Pedagogical Institute of Caracas Department of Art. (X Jornadas de Estética. Decisiones y soluciones estéticas. Coordinación del Núcleo de Investigación en Artes y Dibujo Técnico. Universidad Pedagógica Experimental Libertador. Instituto Pedagógico de Caracas Departamento de Arte) Caracas.
2022. (11/09) Face-to-face workshop: NFTs in art (Los NFTs en el arte) (in the framework of the Collective Exhibition: The Footprint of Leonardo Da Vinci) Venezuelan Association of Plastic Artists AVAP. Caracas
Represented at: WomenVerse Museum. National Center of Photography Foundation (CENAF) National Museums of Venezuela Foundation. Dycvensa Construction (Venezuela)
Carmen Michelena
P H O T O G R A P H Y